Cooper, David

COOPER, WOLF, MALONE, THOMPSON

Posted By: mjv (email)
Date: 9/9/2020 at 14:44:48

David Cooper, section 28, Lime Creek Township, is a native of Ross County, Ohio, born March 2, 1820, and is the son of John and Rebecca (Wolf) Cooper, both of whom were natives of Hampshire County, Va. He was the fifth of a family of eleven children, six of whom are now living: David, the subject of this sketch; Mary A., the wife of Abram Shannon, of Poweshiek County, Iowa; Theodocia, the widow of Orison Kellogg, resides in Chicago, Ill.; Rebecca Jane is the wife of David Taylor, of Missouri; Charlotte is now the wife Jerome Chandler, of Lime Creek Township; John W. is now residing in California.

John Cooper was an early settler of Ross County, Ohio, and there remained until 1827, when he moved with his family to Vermillion County, Ind., becoming one of the first settlers of that county. He opened up a farm in the heavy timber, and there our subject grew to manhood, and was educated in a private school. He was married, in 1843, to Miss Martha J. Malone, a native of Indiana, born in 1827, and daughter of Samuel and Jane (Thompson) Malone, the former a native of Pennsylvania, and the latter of Ireland. Two children blessed their union: John R., who died in 1861, at the age of seventeen years, and Samuel M., who resides at home, and is engaged in farming and stock-raising.

The young couple remained in Indiana after their marriage until 1847, when they came to Washington County, Iowa, and for one year rented a farm, when Mr. Cooper entered forty acres of land in English River Township. A log cabin was at once erected, and, for a time, the only door was a blanket while wolves were plenty all around them. The land was in a wild state, and had to be improved. Being unable to hire help, Mrs. Cooper drove the oxen while Mr. Cooper held the plow in breaking forty acres of land. The settlement on English River at that time consisted of but very few persons. No school had been held in what is now Lime Creek Township, and one being desired, Mrs. Cooper in her own house taught a three months’ term of school, the first in the township. In 1854, Mr. Cooper sold his first farm and purchased eighty acres on section 27, English River Township, where he lived until 1876, when he moved with his family to section 28, Lime Creek township, where he had previously purchased forty acres of land, to which he has added by subsequent purchase, until he now owns 244 acres, all under a high state of cultivation. Here he still resides with his family, enjoying the fruits of a well-spent life. Politically, he is a Democrat. His wife is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

Mr. and Mrs. Cooper have now been residents of Washington County for a period of forty years. For several years after their arrival they did much of their trading at Burlington. Among all their neighbors, at present, there is not one who was then living here on their arrival in 1847. When they came here their only possession were a poor team of horses and $4 in money. Mr. Cooper worked among his neighbors to obtain the necessaries of life until he could raise a crop. The first tax that he paid in Washington County was thirty-six cents; the last paid was $86. No persons in Washington County enjoy the respect and confidence of those who know them to a higher degree than Mr. and Mrs. Cooper. They have one adopted son, Howard Scott Cooper, a young man of good ability and habits, one who is a comfort to them in their old age.

Source: Portrait and Biographical Album of Washington County, Iowa (1887). Excerpt from Biographical Sketch of David Cooper, pages 299-300.